Laume's Studio

When my mom moved, she pared down on a lot of small shelves and cabinets and gave them to me. I used some and those I didn't have space for but were too cute not to keep have been sitting in my wood shed for the last few years. I gave them to Lisa and she spent the last full day of her visit making them into something special. I'm sure she'll want to post pictures of her handiwork on her own blog, Creative Slave, so I won't show too much detail. But aren't they cute? She put on a white primer and then used a paintbrush to do a bit of "spongework".

She finished them off with stencils and cute quotes.

While she worked on her furniture, I spent much of the day painting my interior walls assorted shades of green, trying to find one that would work in each part of a open multi-room area. I put a few photos up of my "camo" walls on Beach Treasure.

Today I still wasn't convinced any of the auditioned greens were right so I went out and bought another quart of something called Pesto. I added it to each of my camo designs and I'm feeling hopeful that this paint is The One. Before I go out and buy it in gallons, I'm gonna sleep on it a day. Or two.

Practically, I have a problem with different lighting situations in different areas. One green seems to work in one area but not the other, another paint works in that area but not the first one. On top of lighting issues, despite the same basic color schemes, trying to pick a green for everything has made me aware that there's actually two different styles in the greater area. The living room leans towards my love of dark, muted colors and a slightly shabby, Bohemian yet traditional style. The kitchen embraces the purer, brighter colors and the artsy, funky side of me.

I don't think the two styles are mutually exclusive. I think the trick is going to be to blend them, at the very least overlap them more in the middle. The question is, since the walls will set the tone for the entire space, which style do I want to have carry the most weight? A green with more gray in it will emphasis the traditional and give a cozy, peaceful look. A lighter, purer color will bring a more contemporary, open energy. I don't think it's possible to find a green that balances exactly in the middle, but I'm looking for something that is as close to both as possible.

Maybe I'll spend the evening looking through a few decorating magazines, see what specific colors are in the rooms I respond to the most.